1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to new and useful improvements in reclining chairs, and more particularly to a fluid controlled relaxation chair for home use having body support sections pivotally and selectively movable relative to each other closely corresponding to the joints of the human body.
2. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Recliner chairs controlled hydraulically or by electric motor and jack screw mechanisms are known in the art. Most power operated chairs of this type are medical chairs which have no arm rests and they are primarily intended to place the patient/occupant in a reclining position convenient to a doctor or dentist, thus they are not fully articulated for maximum comfort of the occupant, and are not particularly suited for home use. Most recliner chairs for home use are not power driven and provide only fixed upright, intermediate, and reclining positions. Other recliner chairs for home use which are power driven are substantially unitary "contour" chairs and do not provide any variations in supporting the limbs of the occupant.
Kleinsorge, U.S. Pat. No. 3,338,632 discloses a reclining chair primarily for use as a dental chair having an integral unitary seat and leg rest portion pivoted to a frame on a horizontal transverse axis adjacent the foot end. An integral unitary back and head rest portion is pivoted to the seat and leg rest portion. One hydraulic cylinder pivots the seat and leg rest portion relative to the frame and another hydraulic cylinder independently pivots the back and head rest portion relative to the seat and leg portion. This chair is intended primarily for use as a dental chair and no provision is made for arm rests, articulation of the thigh relative to the back, articulation of the calf relative to the thigh, or independent articulation of each leg.
Johnson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,928 discloses an adjustable reclining chair having a seat to which a back rest and a leg rest is pivotally connected. An electric motor and screw jack mechanism pivot the back rest and leg rest relative to the seat. This chair is also intended primarily for use as a medical chair and no provision is made for arm rests, articulation of the thigh relative to the back, or independent articulation of each leg.
Knabusch, U.S. Pat. No. 3,588,170 discloses recliner chair having a base frame to which a chair frame is tiltably mounted and on which a seat is supported for upward and forward movement as a pivoted back is moved rearwardly by a motor driven lead screw. Stationary arm rests are provided and control switches are mounted on the arm rests. No provision is made for articulation of the thigh relative to the back, articulation of the calf relative to the thigh, or independent articulation of each leg.
Simon, U.S. Pat. No. 1,527,754 discloses a mechanical chair designed to produce relaxation to the occupant. The chair has numerous support mechanisms which are manually adjusted and fixed in various positions to support the body either through its skeletal frame or through rugged body tissue.
The present invention is distinguished over the prior art in general, and these patents in particular by a hydraulically or pneumatically operated relaxation chair which has a floor engaging base, a padded seat-thigh rest member pivotally secured to the top of the base, and a padded back and head rest assembly pivotally secured to the top of the base at the rear of the seat-thigh rest. A calf rest is pivotally secured to the front of the seat-thigh rest. Padded arm rests are pivotally secured to each side of the back rest member. Controls in the arm rest control the operation of fluid rams to selectively move and position the seat-thigh rest, the calf rest, the back and head rest, and each arm rest relative to one another and to the base independently or as units. The arm rest members may have separate upper and forearm members pivotally connected and powered by fluid rams whereby the members pivot relative to one another and to the back and head rest assembly independently or as a unit. In one embodiment, the seat-thigh rest and calf rest members are a pair of laterally spaced left and right seat-thigh and calf support members pivotally connected and powered by rams whereby the calf and seat-thigh support members pivot relative to one another and as units relative to the base. The head rest may be separate from the back rest to pivot relative thereto, and the back rest may have an expandable lumbar support.